Samantha Poolman fired up for second year with Adelaide Thunderbirds

NEWCASTLE defender Samantha Poolman is keen to continue her dream run with the Adelaide Thunderbirds for the next two years after a stellar breakout year in the world's premier netball competition.

The Thunderbirds won the ANZ Championship 2013 premiership, dropping only one game all season.

The 22-year-old also picked up a nomination for the ANZ's Best New Talent award.

Poolman played a pivotal role in the Thunderbirds' success, playing in rounds two, three, eight and 10, matching up against some of the best goal shooters in the world.

Her standout game was against the towering Southern Steel import from Jamaica, Jhaniele Fowler, in round three.

Poolman played three of the four quarters against the 198-centimetre shooter, and helped starve the Steel's attack end of ball and turn the game around from a first quarter five-goal deficit.

Poolman said her coach, Jane Woodlands-Thompson, was not afraid to turn to the bench when things weren't going their way.

Friday nights were spent as a team nutting out a tactical plan, running through all possible scenarios for the starting seven players and the bench.

"It's clear what your job is - to get out there and make an impact," Poolman said.

"But you might only have a few minutes to do it and you can't go back and fix any mistakes."

Poolman signed on with the Thunderbirds for another two years at the end of last season, citing Thunderbirds teammate and former NSW Swifts benchwarmer as one of the reasons why she decided to stay.

"I saw what Erin Bell did when she left NSW four years ago and she hasn't looked back. Adding to that, the Thunderbirds are one of the most successful clubs in ANZ, and to have Jane as my coach - I'm learning so much."

Poolman said the Thunderbirds want to be the first team to win back-to-back premierships and believe they have the team to win again in 2014.